Top plate for screw-jacks.



S. M. WETZEL.

TOP PLATE FOB SCREW JACKS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1. I916.

Patented J an. 30, 1917.

a mmg.

EMME T Z E L CID SELTON M. WETZEL, OF PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON.

TOP PLATE FOR SCBEW-JACKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan, 3Q, 1917.

Application filed August 1, 1916. Serial No. 112,557.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SELTON M. lVn'rznL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Port Orchard, in the county of Kitsap and State ofWashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TopPlates for Screw-Jacks; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable 1others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in jacks, and theprimary object of the invention is to provide a jack of the screw typewith the new and 1mproved top plate, which plate has projecting heads orspurs which are vertically adjustable so that they may be eitherpositioned above the surface of the plate, or disposed below the samewhen not in operation.

very eflicient in operation.

With these and numerous other objects in view, my invention consists ofthe novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of partswhich will be herein referred to and more particularly pointed out inthe specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation showing myimproved top applied to a jack; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the topshowing the spurs in operative position; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 1- is a vertical section taken onthe line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the top showing the spursin inoperative position; Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 77 of Fig.5; and Fig. 8 is a view showing my invention applied to a slightlymodified type of top.

In describing my invention I shall refer to the drawing in which similarreference characters designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, and in which the numeral 1 designates the upper portionof the conventional type of screw jack, which is provided at its upperend with my new and improved top plate 2. This top plate 2 is of theconventional size and shape which is ordinarily used on acks of thischaracter, and its upper surface may if desired be roughened as shown at3, such as a number of plates of this type are formed. This plate may beeither round, square or any other shape, and the same is secured to theupper end of the jack in any desired manner.

Positioned in the upper surface of the plate 2 are a plurality ofcrossed elongated recesses 4: and 5, of different. depths, the recess I-being disposed in a plane above the plane of the bottom of the recess 5.At the junction of the recesses t and 5 are vertical openings 8 whichproject through the plate 2. These crossed recesses 1 and 5, with theirvertical openings 8 are disposed around the top plane, preferablyadjacent the outer edges of the same, and any desired number may beused. If desired, as illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing, thesevertical openings with their recesses, may be positioned throughprojecting ears formed on the plate, but this is optional, it beingmerely essential that the openings and recesses be disposed around theplate where they may be of most advantage in use.

Adapted to be positioned within the re cesses are cross heads 11 whichare provided with upper knife edges 12. These heads 11 have dependingtherefrom shank portions 9 which are adapted to form bolts, and whichhave their lower ends 10 screw-threaded and when the heads are inposition, project through the openings 8 in the top plate. When theshank portions or bolts 9 are positioned through the openings, the crossheads are adapted to be positioned either within the recesses 4L, or therecesses 5 in the upper surface of the top plate. Owing to the fact thatthe height of the cross heads is substantially equal to the depth of therecess 5, when the heads are positioned therein, their edges 12 will bedisposed below the surface of the plate, but when the cross heads arepositioned in the recesses 4, the edges of the same will projectupwardly beyond the edges of the plate, and will form spurs for thesame.

The projecting screw threaded lower ends 10 of the bolts are providedwith locking nuts 13, which are adapted to form stops to hold the boltsagainst vertical movement, when the cross heads are positioned in therecesses These nuts 18 are removable, so that the cross heads may easilybe shifted from one position to the other when desired.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of myimproved plate, it Will be seen that a plate of this character may beprovided with projecting spurs, the advantages of which in these devices, are obvious. When it is desired to remove the spurs, it is onlynecessary to take the nuts from the lower end. of the bolts 9, whereuponthe bolts may be rotated, and the cross heads shifted to the deepestrecesses, whereupon their edges will be disposed below the surface ofthe plate. When placing the nuts again on the bolts, the same may belocked in this position, and there will be no danger of the boltsbecoming disengaged from the plate when not in operation.

I claim:

1. The combination with the top plate of a jack, said plate having arecess therein with a communicating opening, a head movable forpositioning either within the recess or across the same, said headhaving a. shank portion extending through the opening in the recess, anda stop 011 said shank to limit the'movement of the head.

2. The combination with the top plate of a jack, said plate having apair of intersecting recesses at different depths therein With an,

opening through the plate at the intersection of the recesses, a headmovable for positioning in either recess, said head being of acorresponding height to the deepest recess, a shank portion on the headextending through the opening, and a stop on said shank to limit themovement of the head.

3. The combination with the top plate of a. jack, said plate having aplurality of crossed recesses of different depths in its upper surface,vertical openings through the plate at the junction of said recesses; ofbolts rotatably and slidably mounted through said openings, knife edgecross heads on said bolts adapted for disposition within either of therecesses for positioning above or below the surface of the plate, andlocking nuts on the lower ends of said bolts to secure the same againstvertical movement when the heads are positioned 111 the recesses.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

SELTON M. lVETZEL.

Witnesses:

C. D. SU'r'roN, THOMAS Ross.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

